Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder Summary
Overview of Poison Study
Condemned prisoner Yelena chooses to become a food taster rather than face execution. This New York Times bestseller with 149,758 ratings blends fantasy, politics, and dystopia into an addictive tale. What would you risk to survive in a world where every meal might be your last?
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Key takeaways
Between Death and Poison: A Desperate Bargain
"I am not a fool," I tell Valek, the Commander's chief of security, accepting his offer to become the Commander's food taster instead of facing execution. The alternative is clear: certain death by hanging, or possible death by poison. As a convicted murderer awaiting execution in Ixia's dungeons, this unexpected opportunity feels like a miracle-albeit a dangerous one. Valek explains the position's lethal nature with chilling directness. I'll receive daily doses of Butterfly's Dust poison, requiring an antidote every morning to survive. Miss a dose, and I'll die painfully within two days, my organs shutting down one by one. It's a lifetime appointment with no days off and the constant threat of assassination attempts against the Commander becoming my death sentence. My new quarters are sparse but still a vast improvement over my prison cell-a narrow bed, wooden desk, and a tiny woodstove. What catches my attention is the window shutters that lock from the inside, with the ground only five feet below. Escape seems tantalizingly possible, except for one crucial detail-without the daily antidote, I'd be dead within 48 hours. The other servants give me a wide berth, whispering behind their hands. This is my new reality-alive, but existing on the knife's edge between survival and death, with few allies and many who wish me harm. Each meal I taste for the Commander could be my last.
Learning the Art of Poison Detection
The Murder That Haunts Me
Finding Allies in Unlikely Places
The Forbidden Magic Within
Political Machinations and Mind Control
Breaking Free from Control
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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